Don’t forget the Big garden-building day at Johnson School, Saturday, March 26, 9-12. Many of you have helped with earlier stages of the garden and beautification efforts around the Johnson School. Here’s your chance to be part of the next big phase of the Community Schoolyard Garden. The school is at 1800 Monroe, between Hickory and Cohn, of course.

3 projects are to be completed on the 26th:
1) Building of the remaining beds and the filling of beds with gravel and soil
2) Building of the base stands for the rain barrels
3) Construction of rain barrels
Each project will have a team which will include one project leader, team leaders, and volunteers. Project leaders will oversee the entire project. Team leaders will work with small teams of volunteers on specific aspects of the project.

It would be helpful if you would respond to Mary Dewitt Dukes- mddukes2@aol.com in advance to let the planning team know what project you would like to work on and if you have skills to lead a small team of volunteers. Team leaders will meet with their project leaders at 8:30am on Saturday, March 26th to review project details before the build begins around 9am. People with some carpentering experience and some experience with PVC pipe are especially needed. But you can also just show up. All help will be greatly appreciated. Gloves might be a good idea—and whatever relevant tools you might be able to bring along: hammers, shovels, etc.

FREE MOVIE, WOMEN’S DISCUSSION, ETC

Nicole Bouie, who directs Community Commitment in our neighborhood, invites all to a free-movie and free-popcorn, socializing event Friday (tomorrow) evening, March 25 from 6-8 p.m. at Evening Star Baptist Church, 8926 Hickory.

The organization is also hosting a women-only discussion, “Sisters Speak,” Saturday, March 26, from 11-12, also at the church. The discussion will focus on relations between homosexuals and heterosexuals.

Pastor Ty Waivers, pastor of Grace & Faith Family Fellowship, 2032 S. Carrollton, reports that his church has acquired a van for transporting elderly and handicapped persons to medical appointments, grocery stores, and the like. The free service is new and schedules are still being worked out, based on calls they are receiving for assistance. The service is provided throughout the Greater Carrollton area. If you or someone you know could use the service, you can contact Pastor Ty directly at (504) 606-3433

RECYCLING – Request your cart

The City’s new recycling program is gearing up. Residents can visit http://recycle.nola.gov to register for curbside recycling carts.
Carts will be provided by the City on request. Residents may also fill out the Recycling Service Notice manually and mail it to City Hall at 1300 Perdido Street, New Orleans, LA 70112 or fax it to (504) 658-3801.

Items accepted for curbside recycling will include:

•Paper products including office paper, newspapers and color inserts, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, paper boxes (including cereal boxes, 12-pack soft drink boxes), telephone books, and shredded paper;
• Plastic containers coded #1 through #7 (water, soda, juice bottles, etc.) and plastic pots from nurseries;
• Small metal cans; and
• Cardboard.
The curbside recycling program is slated to begin in the 2nd quarter of 2011. Additional details will be forthcoming.
The curbside recycling program supplements the City’s ongoing recycling and e-waste drop-off, which will continue to be held on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at 2829 Elysian Fields Avenue.
For more information about the city’s recycling program, please visit http://recycle.nola.gov, or call the Department of Sanitation at (504) 658-3800.